Subḥana’llāh ( سبحان الله ) is an Arabic phrase often translated as "Glorious is God". Part of the word is unpronounced, which is how it is used in the Quran, and translates to "void of all evil". For example it says; "SubhanAllahi ammaa yasifoon", "Void/Free is Allah from that (evil) which they ascribe (to Him)" and "SubhanAllah ammaa yushrikoon". It is also often cited during the Islamic prayer (salat), or during the sermon (khutba) in the Mosques.
The statement testifies to removing any anthropomorphic elements or associations with God, as al-Razi says in his Mukhtar al-Sihah, (تنزيه tanziyh). A Christian counterpart is "Hallowed be your name" in the Bible, Matthew 6:9.[NB 1]. Qul hāḏihi sabīl-ī ʾadʿū ʾilā l-lāhi ʿalā baṣīratin ʾanā wa-mani ttabaʿa-nī wa-subḥāna llāhi wa-mā ʾanā mina l-mušrikīna ("This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah ; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.")
قُلْ هَـذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَاْ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِين
َ
invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah ; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.)
فَلَمَّا جَاءهَا نُودِيَ أَن بُورِكَ مَن فِي النَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين
َ
(fire), a voice was heard: 'Blessed are those in the fire and those around: and glory to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Subhan'Allah is also part of the tasbeeh which is read 33 times. It is said as a way to gain rewards and become closer to Allah.
Other interpretations
"Subhan Allah" is also defined concisely in among the most well-trusted Hadith sources - namely, Sahih Bukhari, VBN 5, 57, 50. In this Hadith, the quote "Subhan Allah!" is defined as - "Subhan Allah! Subhan Allah! (i.e. Glorified be Allah)."
From : wikipedia
